Cambodia’s PM asks China for support in a bid to combat illegal gaming
Authorities in Phnom Penh have clamped down on a total of 87 gambling centres since September 17, leading to the arrest of 152 persons across 12 districts
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen has issued an order to continue cracking down on illegal gambling while addressing the 6th National Interfaith Forum Against Human Trafficking on Thursday morning.
The PM stated “For the safety of villages and communes, the best way is to eliminate local gambling to eliminate drug trafficking at the local level as well, which will then eliminate human trafficking. People will save money and have harmony.
“With the specific goal campaign that we have been working on and this will continue, I believe that this campaign to crack down on gambling will contribute to reducing human trafficking and increase the safety of the village. When you lose the game, you start having problems .”
In order to effectively combat illegal gaming, the PM has approved an inter-ministerial committee led by the minister of the interior, Sar Kheng.
Sen used the event to highlight the fact that some gamblers have used internet platforms to operate their illegal companies, capitalising on technology that emerged during the COVID19 pandemic.
According to Cambodia’s Minister of Interior, Sar Kheng, China should do more to help combat transnational crime, human trafficking, sex trafficking, and unlawful employment by investigating and prosecuting ringleaders.
He said that an increase in burglaries and assaults may be attributed to the prevalence of gambling in local communities. Gambling, like drug addiction, exacerbates the difficulty of maintaining order in small communities. In addition, he mentioned that the elimination of human trafficking is aided by the prohibition of illegal gambling.
The subsequent raids may have picked up illegal lotteries and slot machines, but the main targets were the cyber scam and human trafficking enterprises that have kept Cambodia in the news for months.
Since Prime Minister Hun Sen’s statewide operations began on September 17, authorities in Phnom Penh have clamped down on a total of 87 gambling centres, leading to the arrest of 152 persons across 12 districts.
Illegal pawn shops, poker rooms, online casinos, and betting sites were all targeted in the operation in Vietnam.
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